0280. Mountain Town (Mor 113--new)

Zaouia Cheikh Travel Blog

"Are you going to Zaouia?" another guy standing there waiting for the bus asks me. No idea where Zaouia is, but the name has a nice ring to it, so I nod yes.

Soon we are on a bus winding up the mountains, getting closer and closer to my magical objective: Snow.

It doesn't take up long to reach Zaouia, a town slapped against the steep mountainside with butchershops and restaurants squeezed against the highway. Looks like a fun place to explore. So I hop off the bus and followed the highway across a pretty little park and stream to where the town abruptly ends. Looks like if I want to to explore this town I'll have to go down hill.

So I follow the dirt and gravel alleys down, down the hillside to the very bottom where there's a picturesque valley with orchards and wheat fields.

I follow the path a little further to another nearby hamlet and then figure I'd better start heading back. A crowd of young rascals who I tried to ignore on my way down, now will not be ignored. The come after me telling me they could be my guides and/or rob me. I tell them neither and continue on--they follow me halfway up the mountain and finally give up. Kind of spoiled my chances for a couple of good photos--but provide some rather bizarre entertainment. Kids seem to be a bit on the wild side in these parts.

I reach the highway again, then decide to hike up the mountain a little ways. So I head up a pleasant mountain path. After about a mile or so, however, I figure I'd best turn around and continue on to Khenifra.

I'm sure there will be more opportunities for mountain hikes over these next few days...